New lieutenant carries on family name at Scotts Valley police

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Steve Wolpole Jr is sworn in as the new Scotts Valley Police lieutenant by City Manager Steve Ando in a ceremony at Scotts Valley City Hall Monday morning. Seated in the first row are Wolpole’s eldest son Steve Wolpole III, his wife Melissa and his father, former Scotts Valley Police Chief Steve Wolpole Sr. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)

SCOTTS VALLEY — Scotts Valley police continued its tradition of leaders from the Walpole family with a swearing-in ceremony on Monday for new Lt. Stephen Walpole Jr.

Walpole”s father, Stephen Walpole Sr., was chief of Scotts Valley police from 1986 to 2002. More than 50 law enforcement leaders, friends and members of their family attended the ceremony Monday morning in the Scotts Valley City Council chamber.

“It”s just exciting to come back to the community where I live,” said Stephen Walpole Jr., 41.

Walpole Jr. was a sergeant with Los Gatos police and had worked for that agency for 16 years. He started as a reserve officer at Watsonville police.

Walpole Jr. is married with two boys, and lives in Scotts Valley.

During Monday”s event, Walpole Jr. said that early in his career he was “all about driving fast and arresting bad guys.” Yet he said he gained a deeper understanding of police work and community policing as his experience grew.

Walpole Sr. also spoke at the event and said his son would be working with a great team.

“I”m really proud,” he said.

Walpole Jr. replaces Scotts Valley police Lt. John Hohmann, who retired in December after 30 years of service at the agency. Walpole Jr. will earn $106,524 annually, according to Scotts Valley police.

Scotts Valley Mayor Jim Reed said at the ceremony that he hoped the city would keep its reputation as a place where crime is not tolerated.

“There will be no higher priority than making sure we”re able to maintain the outstanding police force that we have,” Reed said.